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6- PORT PERRY STAR - Tuesday, January 21, 1997 "Scugog's Community Newspaper of Choice' 188 MARY STREET - PORT PERRY, ONT. - LIL 1B7 PHONE (905) 985-7383 FAX (905) 985-3708 ~The Port Perry Star Is authorized as second class mail by the Post Office Department, Ottawa, for cash payment of postage. Second Class Mall Re udes $2.10 GST Includes § Abdication of responsibility During an interview this week, Scugog Mayor Howard Hall couldn't help but wonder what provincial finance boss Ernie Eves "was smoking" when he predicted that municipal property taxes will drop by 10 per cent as a result of last week's flurry of policy changes introduced by the Conservative government. You have to wonder, too. The list of sweeping change was mind- boggling. School boards axed and amalgamated. Education costs taken off municipal tax bills, and assumed by the province. Welfare and other social program costs shifted over to municipalities. They called it mega week, or something like that, and what it amounted to was a mega- shakedown. It was a wholesale abdication of responsibilities by the province, a shameless swindle that saw a host of expenses downloaded to municipalities. The province assumed the cost of education, which has been slashed drastically over the past couple of years, and handed over to municipalities the bill for services which can only become more expensive, such as welfare | and seniors' services. So, how can our property taxes decrease? Only through a sweeping reduction or eradication of services by municipalities, some of which is already beginning to become apparent. The dirty work is being handed down to regions, cities and townships, and the representatives there have no choice but to try and swallow the costs. Mayor Hall also predicted a further reduction in the transfer payments given municipalities by the province, and eventually even elimination of those payments. Then we're truly on our own. Once again: How will our property taxes decrease? What's that smell? REMEMBER Pout Peory Stay Editorial Comment . EDITORIAL: PEC Ee, | BUSINESS OFFICE : (Qe Office Mgr. ........cccoceeruennenee Gayle Stapley eS ~ Accounting.......Judy Ashby, Louise Hope Retall Sales...... Kathy Dudley, Nancy Lee @ @ Member of the Canadian & Ontario Newspaper Assoc. Published every Tuesday by the Port Perry Star Co. Ltd. - 188 Mary Street - Port Perry, Ont. Publisher................J. Peter Mvidsten ADVERTISING General Manager... Don MacLeod Advertising Mgr. .......... Don Macleod Managing Editor..... Jeff Mitchell 0.95 News Reporters .,...Chris Hall, C - Freelance - Heather McCrae, John B. McClelland Cindy Jobin, Gail Morris, Deborah Tiffin 7 Sales: Myra Park, Joanne Bambrough, * Deb McEachemn, Bob Osbome, PRODUCTION Annabell Harrison, Trudy Empringham, Pam Hickey, Rhonda Mulcahy, Robert Taylor, Richard Drew i yy 4 iy, /) J : / Midi: Se PROVINCIAL NLOADING Letter was good for a laugh, anyway To the Editor: | The letter sent to council from Michael Black's lawyer regarding their concern over the operating of a commercial ultralight endeavor from the sod farm at Nestleton can only be considered comic relief. The lawyer they hired to write the letter is the one getting the biggest laugh, by taking their money. It might have been better spent on a specialist that could advise the Blacks about paranoia. | Better still, they should have bought some black drapes for their windows so that the scores of ultralight pilots flying by could no longer peep in. I mean, think about it: what other reason is there for flying those dangerous crafts? Bill (the "Big Shot") Lishman, Purple Hill WHEN....? 45 YEARS AGO Thursday, January 17, 1952 Port Perry Rod and Gun Club elected Milt Butson, president, Aylmer Ploughman, vice- president, and Harlin Davey, secretary treasurer. George Black was sworn in as the new Reeve at the inaugural meeting of Cartwright Council on January 14, Mr. and Mrs. R.B. Smallman, Port Perry spent the weekend in Brantford at the home of their daughter and son-in-law on the occasion of their 40th wedding anniversary. 35YEARSAGO Thursday, January 18, 1962 The Massey-Ferguson Curl-O-Rama bonspiel, Canada's largest, was held in Port Perry with a local rink winning. Team members were Bob Kenny, skip, Neil Malcolm, vice, Howard Malcolm, second, and Harold McLaughlin lead. | Earl Dowswell, reeve of Uxbridge, was .|] | Competition held in Agincourt. partner Janet D'Altroy of Barrie, won first place in the Central Ontario Junior Dance Martha Carnegie, Douglas Holtby and | Sharon Eade, pupils of Mrs. F. Harper, received First Class Honors in Grade || Theory. 20YEARS AGO Tuesday, January 19, 1977 Cam MacMaster was given the honor of dropping the puck for the opening face-off of a Flamingo game at the official opening ceremonies of the new Scugog Arena. Walter Beath was returned for a two-year term as Chairman of Durham Region on the second ballot. 10YEARS AGO Tuesday, January 13, 1987 Chamber of Commerce secretary Earl Cuddie and past president Bill Barr were presented plaques of appreciation by outgoing president J. Peter Hvidsten, for their work with elected Warden for Ontario County on the fifth ballot. 30 YEARS AGO Wednesday, January 19, 1967 David Porter of Port Perry and his skating ROSE GARDEN AT BEECHCROFT This photo shows a second view of the rose garden located at "Beechcroft" the residence of Mr. F. A. Kent. The area is now known as Kent Estates. the Chamber. Mr. Barr will take over the duties of secretary- treasurer, The Star tried unsuccessfully to contact "The Phantom." The mysterious "Phantom" has been leaving white rocks with his signature at various points around Port Perry.